Jul 17 A Full Week Of Outfits For Under $1,000: Monday Edition

Welcome to the latest series here on The Peak Lapel! In this seven-part series we will show you how to put together an entire week’s worth of outfits for under $1,000. Sounds impossible?! Well, believe us, it can be done! Stick around, and make sure to check back on the site, as we release each day’s edition of this series over the coming weeks. It will culminate in a downloadable PDF that will be available to all email subscribers (so make sure you’re subscribed by entering your email on the bottom of the page, or in the drop-down menu in the upper left corner of the site).

We’ll be focusing on a more business-casual look and feel overall, as this will cover a majority of guys, in most situations. If you’re working in a more corporate environment, you will likely have a collection of a few suits that you rotate through anyway. On the other hand, it’s always better to be a little bit better dressed than your counterparts, so if you’re used to truly casual-wear, this series will show you how to upgrade. Finally, if business-casual is your typical go-to, this series should give you lots of inspiration for outfits to put together to throw into your rotation. All while far from breaking the bank! We’ll be covering everything from perfect office looks, to a semi-casual look, to weekend looks as well. Everything will be included, so you’ll be prepared for just about anything a typical week might throw at you.

Lastly, just a few parting pointers before we get started. One, we will not be using any sale prices. Since price constantly fluctuates at many online retailers, in this series we’ll be using the highest, typical retail price so that, no matter when you get around to shopping, you’ll be able to make this whole week’s worth of outfits for less than a grand. Two, we will not be including basics in this series. Meaning, ties, socks, undershirts, belts, and so on we will assume you already own and have in your closet or drawers. We’ll be focusing on the meat and potatoes here, so to speak, not the salt and pepper. Alright! That just about does it. Now let’s get to it!

We begin with a perfect Monday look for you to wear to the office. It’s a great look to be more put together than your counterparts, while at the same time not being overly dressy. We’ll explain below how to make it even more versatile. Plus, this look establishes a bunch of basics and staples of your wardrobe that will be the building blocks of future outfits.

Uniqlo Oxford Cloth Button Down — $30: A true staple of every man’s wardrobe, and Uniqlo makes one of the best values for your dollar when it comes to OCBD’s. Comes in a bunch of great color options, as well as a regular and slim fit. We do, of course, suggest the slimmer option. Will go great not only with this outfit, but paired with literally anything you throw at it. An OCBD looks just as at home with shorts and boat shoes as it does with a blazer, or under a sweater with a pair of dress pants. Get a few of these in multiple colors, and your shirt collection will be about 70% complete.

Jomers Wool Dress Pants — $64: An absolute steal at this price. Awesome patterns and fabrics, as well as the more standard plain varieties available. The catch? No inseam lengths, so assume a quick trip to your tailor to get these hemmed to your desired length. Again, wool pants like these are a staple of a man’s wardrobe. Pair with a dress shirt, an OCBD like above, a sweater, or blazer (or some combination thereof), and have a killer, classy, higher end office look ready to go in no time. For starters, we suggest a navy, khaki, or grey solid fabric. Feel free to order two or three of these guys as well to build out a nice dress pants wardrobe.

Jack Erwin Charlie Penny Loafer — $175: Some of you out there will find this pair of shoes to be quite inexpensive, while others will consider these pricey. For us, they are the perfect sweet spot. Any way you cut it, though, shoes are definitely something you will want to put some more money into. Investing in a good pair of shoes goes a really long way, and higher quality, more expensive shoes are lightyears ahead of their cheaper counterparts. And you’ll notice that difference in quality almost instantly. These Jack Erwin loafers are a perfect entry into slightly higher end shoes. They are classic, versatile, and easy to wear. Yes, yes, a staple of your wardrobe. Pair these with the outfit put together here and you’re in for a killer, but still somewhat laid back, look for the office. But these shoes will work just as well with chinos, shorts, or even a full suit. Available in three colors. Darker is more conservative, while lighter is more summer-y and a bit more casual.

J Crew Ludlow Unstructured Navy Blazer — ($198):This is a really, really solid item at a great value price. Available in three colors, and while you can’t go wrong with any of them, we really suggest that navy option as your first blazer. We love the unstructured option here because it can be worn a bit more casually, is super comfortable, and is lighter top layer perfect for the summer, as well as for the winter when throwing on over a sweater. The lack of structure also means less padding, which means it’ll fit and drape over your body a little nicer in certain areas as well. Plus, it makes it easier to produce, which explains the super reasonable price tag here.

TOTAL: $467

LEFT OVER: $533

We’ll be back in no time with the next day of the week, and continue building out our week’s worth of outfits for under $1,000, so make sure to check back soon! Happy dressing, and stay classy, gents.